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E. E. RIBS. SYSTEM'OF DISTRIBUTION FOR ELEGTRIG RAILWAYS. No. 431,482. Patented July 1, 1890.

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SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Patented July 1, 1890. I V

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS E. RIES,-OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY DIREOT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RIES & HENDERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,482, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed July 6, 1887. Serial No. 243,578- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS E. Ems, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in,

the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Distribution for Electric Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the distribution of electrical en ergyfor electric-railway purposes, and more particularly relates to the conversion and distribution of alternating currents supplied to the line-conductors from a generating station or stations by means of inductional transformers.

Heretofore in the ordinary system of electric locomotion the actuating or motive current derived from a stationary source has been conducted by separate conductors arranged parallel and in proximity to the track directly to the motor or motors mounted upon the traveling vehicle. In such systems the currents employed were necessarily of 0011- siderable quantity and comparatively low tension, and theconduct-ors had to be made of sufficient conductivity to carry such currents Without heating. Thus the line-conductors were made ordinarily of copper, and when a material of lower conductivity was employed the cross-section of the conductors had to be greatly increased. In addition thereto the generation and transmission over a long line of currents of low tension is impracticable for commercial purposes for purely technical reasons, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

It is the object of my invention to overcome the difficulties of electric locomotion due to the direct communication of the source of electrical energy with the traveling motor by substituting for the system involving such direct communication one in which the in- 5 ducing or primary current supplied by the main conductor is converted at intervals along the line by inductional transformers having their primary coils connected in parallel with the said main or primary circuit, and their secondary coils with the exposed working-conductors, which latter are laid in the working-conductors.

insulated sections along the line of way and are arranged conveniently for contact with metallic current-collecting devices in circuit with the propelling-motor. Thus I am en- 5 5 abled to employ main and W0 rking conductors of small cross-section; to utilize the cheaper alternating currents of high tension and comparatively small quantity; to employ line-conductors of inferior conducting capacity in surface, overhead, and underground electricrailway systems, and at predetermined points or distances along the line Where the said electrical energy is to be consumed, and to convert and distribute the initial energy residing in such primary current into a current of increased quantity and lower tension.

Other advantages enumerated hereinafter result from the employment of my novel system, which embraces a new mode of opera- 7o 7 tion and organization of apparatus, as will clearly appear from the detail description hereinafter.

In my system Iarrange one or more generators along the line of way and carry the alternating currents of high tension generated by the same through a thoroughly-insulated conductor into proximity to the working-conductors, which are, as before stated, laid in successive insulated sections of required lengths along the track for contact with the current-collecting brushes connected, electrically with the propelling-motor mounted upon the traveling vehicle. The primary conductors which carry the generated current will be hereinafter designated as the main conductors, and the insulated sections carrying the converted currents Will be called Thus there are two independent circuit-s, one for carrying the primary current generated at the stationary generators and the other for the currents converted by the inductional transformers which have their primary coils connected in parallel with the main conductors and their 5 secondaries in circuit with the working-sections. The two circuits have the relation of external primary and secondary circuits of an inductorium, with this difference, however, that While in the ordinary inductorium the too relation of the resistances of the two circuits is such that the induced currents have greater tension than the inducing-current, in the circuits employed in my system the relation is reversed. The currents converted by the transformers are necessarily of alternating character, and they may be utilized in a motor so constructed as to be operated by such currents, or these alternating currents after conversion maybe first commutated to flow in the same direction and then utilized in an ordinary continuous-current electric motor. This latter mode of operation is, however, not herein illustrated, since it forms no part of my present invention. All this will more fully appear from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which I have illustrated several of the very numerous forms which my invention may assume; but it will be understood thatI do not propose to limit myself to the particular embodiment of the principles herein described nor to the details of construction pointed out, since these are only a few specimens of a number which may be employed without departing from the spirit of my said invention.

Figure 1 is a view in diagram of a singletrack railway, showing the generating-station, the main conductors forming a round metallic circuit, and working-conductors of larger cross-section arranged in insulated sections parallel to said main conductors and the transformers in circuit with both the main and working circuits, in the manner before mentioned. In this instance each transformer is placed centrally in its respective workingsection for the obvious purpose of equalizing the distribution upon each section. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the ind uctional transformers connected in parallel with the main conductors and in circuit with each workingsection at the end thereof instead of the center. Fig. 3 is a similar View of a double-track railway, showing different niodes of arranging the transformers, as described hereinafter. Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 1, showing two main conductors and two workingconductors applied to a single-track railwaywith a branch track proceeding therefrom. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a double-track railway in which the main and working c011- ductors are carried in an underground conduit. This View has parts broken away to show more clearly the interior construction of the conduit and the arrangement and equipment of my improved system. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 00 x of a part of Fig. 5, a portion of the concrete being removed to show in side elevation the metallic support ing brackets or diaphragm, which is placed at intervals along the way, the construction of the transformers, the means for connecting them with the main and working conductors, and other details of construction explained hereinafter. Fig. 7 is a similar view of a single-track railway and its conduit-bracket, in whichonly one transformer is employed.

Like numerals of reference indicate like or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings.

My invention is equally applicable to overhead, surface, or underground electric-railway systems. However, for the sake of clearness and convenience, I have shown the same applied to a form of conduit which is described, illustrated, and claimed in my separate pending application filed April 29, 1887, Serial No. 236,546.

Referring to Fig. 5,the main conductors in circuit with the generating station or stations are carried in the insulated ducts or tubes 1 l, which extend along the line of way between the railway-tracks, as shown. The workingconductors 2 are supported on the side of the conduit-channels, in a convenient position for contact for current-collecting wheels 3, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) by the concrete filling4 and the insulation 5, suitably secured in the undercut recesses in the interior walls 8 of the metallic supporting-brackets 6, which in turn are placed at intervals along the track in the concrete filling, as shown in Fig. 5, and are provided with the circular apertures 9 9 for the reception of tubes or ducts which carry telephone, telegraph, or power wires. The Working-conductors 2 2 are, as before stated, placed in insulated sections. of prescribed length, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4., and are connected by means of the transverse conductors 1O 10 (see Figs. 6 and 7) with the terminals of the secondary coils of their respective transformers 11, which in turn have their primaries connected in parallel with the main conductors 1 1, as shown. It will be obvious that the insulation 14: between the respective sections of the working-conductors may be secured in any approved manner. However, in practice, it is best to arrange each section of a working-conductor so that its extremities will rest upon and be supported by the insulators 5 5 of the brackets, so as to provide a secure lodgment and support for the terminals of each section, and, furthermore, allowing the transformer 11 to be placed centrally in each workin -section, as shown in Fig. 1. The transformers 11 consist each of an iron core having its primaryand secondary coils wound thereupon, the secondaries being of coarse wire, as shown, and the primaries of fine wire, and the primary and secondary coils connected, respectively, with the main and working conductors in the manner before described. These transformers are arranged at intervals along the line and in proximity to the working-conductors in a suitable boxing 12, having a removableair and water tight lid 13, insulated from the main body of said boxing and provided with a gable-shaped or sloping cover for deflecting any water, dust, or other foreign matter. There is one transformer for each working-section, as shown clearly in the diagrammatical views.

111 Fig. 1 the transformers are located, as before described, centrally in each workingsection, being connected in parallel with the main conductors and in circuit with the sectional working-conductors by the branch 10.

The object of placing the converter or inductorium in each section is for the purpose of maintaining an equal distribution of the current converted and supplied to the work ing-conductors, so that the motors on one section cannot perceptibly affect any of the motors on the remaining sections. As the motor proceeds in the direction of the arrow from the generating-station and enters upon the first section of working-conductors, the mere contact of the collecting-wheels with the working-conductors 2 2 will-automatically close the secondary or working circuit through the motor, thereby rendering the motor self-regulating in operation and converting only the required amount of current for propelling the motor across that particular section.

In Fig. 2 no insulation is shown between the respective sections, the air-space being relied upon to effect a similar result, and moreover, the inductional transformers are located at the beginning of each section. However, in this latter respect I would, in practice, prefer the form shown in Fig. 1.

In the first section of Fig. 3 two transformers are usedone for each track-and the primaries are connected in parallel with each other and with the main conductors, and their independent secondaries in circuit with the respective working-conductors of the two separate lines.

In the second section shown in Fig. 3 only one transformer is employed, the primary coil of which serves to induce alternating currents in the two independent secondary coils, which latter are in circuit with the workingconductors of the respective railway-lines.

In Fi 6 are shown two transformersone for each track-and both supported in the same boxing and having the terminals of the primary of each connected in common with a main conductor-that is to say, the main conductors enveloped by the tubes 1 1 furnish the inducing-current for the secondaries of both transformers. The tubes 1 1, containing the main conductors, communicate with the interior of the casing 12 through suitable air and water tight apertures, (not shown) the main conductor being continued through said casing, out through a similar aperture on the other side into tube 1, and is likewise carried along the line of way.

The details of construction of the casings for the transformers, the special arrangemcnt for insulating the working-conductors, the form of the conduits and brackets, and other non-essential points will not be further dwelt upon herein, inasmuch as they form no part of this invention.

By utilizing the high-tension currents of small quantity an appreciable saving in cost of main conductors is attained. Owing to the thorough and economical manner in which theycan be insulated no leakage can occur.

Working-conductors of small cross section may be used, since only short lengths of the same are included in each working-circuit, and the low potential in the working-circuit, renders the handling of the conductors safe and provides against undesirable leakage. The distribution to each motor is automatic, inasmuch as no generation of current in the working-circuit is effected until the contactbrushes of a motor enter upon that section; and, furthermore, the departure of the motor from any one section immediately and automatically causes the cessation of generation of current in the working-circuit. By reason of the central location of the transformers shown in Fig. 1 the cross-section of the working-conductors is reduced one-fourth. Furthermore, such arrangement effects an equal distribution on each side of the transformer, as has been stated before.

WVhile I have shown and described in this case special arrangements of a system for practicing the method or art which constitutes the essence of my invention, I do not herein claim such construction, since the same are made the subject of an application, Serial No. 259,418, filed December 30, 1887; but

I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The method of operating traveling electric motors, which consists in causing alternating or intermittent currents of a given tension to pass over lines of conductors extending from a generating-station along a railway, converting said current at predetermined points along the road by induction into currents of lower tension, and feeding the converted currents to the electric motors, substantially as described.

2. The improvement in the art of electric locomotion, which consists in causing electric currents passed along a line of railway to produce by induction at predetermined points electrical potential in normally-open workingcircuits, and in closing said circuit by electric locomotives, and thereby causing converted currentto pass through and propel the said locomotives, substantially as described.

3. The method of operating traveling electric motors, which consists in causing alternatin g or intermittent currents of a given tension to pass over conductors extending along the line of travel, converting said currents at predetermined pointsalong the line by induction into currents of different tension, and feeding the converted currents to the electric motors, substantially as described.

4. The improvement in the art of electric locomotion, which consists in establishing by induction electrical potential in normallyopen working-circuits, and in successively closing or bridging said circuits by electric locomotives, and thereby causing these currents to pass through the motors of said 10- comotives and propel the same, substantially as described.

5. The improvement in the art of currentdistribution for electric railways, which conleaving the same respectively, substantially IO sists in charging a line of conductors extendas described. ing along the Way of travel with alternating In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in or intermittent currents, and thereby inducpresence of two Witnesses. 5 ing electrical potential in a series of normally- EI IAS E RIES open Working-circuits, also extending along the line of travel, and in successively closing WVitnesses: and opening said Working-circuits by a travel- G. KOFFENBERGER, ing' motor or motors in entering upon and J No. T. MADDOX. 

